Business plan for EU grants · Warsaw and Poland

A business plan for EU grants that passes committee review

We write business plans for EU grants for B2B companies in Warsaw and across Poland. The document is built to the evaluation criteria of the specific program, with the rationale, budget and indicators holding together.

Book a consultation See how we work

Why are grant applications rejected?

Submitting an application is only half the work. Projects are scored on two levels, and the most common reason for failure is not a weak idea, but a document that does not answer the evaluation criteria.

Formal error

A missing annex, non-compliance with the rules, a miscalculated budget. A formal error disqualifies the application before anyone reads its content.

Weak project rationale

The committee checks whether you know your market and whether the project makes sense. Generalities without data lower the merit score.

Unsupported indicators

Declared result indicators that nothing backs up. Evaluators quickly spot numbers pulled out of thin air.

Inconsistent budget and schedule

Costs that are not eligible, or a work and finance schedule disconnected from the project description.

What does the committee evaluate in a grant business plan?

The implementing institution scores an application on two levels. The first screens out errors, the second decides the points. A business plan for EU grants has to pass both.

Formal evaluation

Merit evaluation

Completeness of the application and annexes
Compliance with the call rules
Eligibility of the applicant and the costs
Meeting the deadline and the required form

Fit between the project and the program's goals
Market rationale and the need for support
Realism of the result indicators
Consistency of budget, schedule and description

What must a business plan for EU grants contain?

A strong business plan for EU grants answers the evaluation criteria point by point. We prepare every element for the specific program, not from a one size fits all template.

Summary and project goalWhat the project is about, what problem it solves and why it needs grant support.
Fit with the program's goalsShowing that the project genuinely fits the goals and priorities of the specific call.
Project and innovation descriptionWhat exactly you will do and what sets it apart, especially in innovation focused programs.
Market and competition analysisA market rationale that convinces the committee the project makes sense and has customers.
Work and finance scheduleProject stages linked to costs and timing, consistent with the description.
Budget and cost eligibilityCosts compliant with the program rules, since ineligible items reduce the funding.
Result indicatorsMeasurable project effects, realistic and tied to the activities, not pulled out of thin air.
Financial projectionsNumbers showing the company can carry the project and its effects after the funding ends.
Project durabilityWhat happens after the grant ends, because the durability of results is a separate criterion.
Risk analysisThe main project risks and how they are managed. Maturity here builds credibility.

Which programs do we prepare a grant business plan for?

Every program has its own criteria and its own form. We tailor the document to the specific call, not the other way around.

FENG, the SMART Path

The flagship program for companies: R&D projects, innovation deployment, digitalisation and internationalisation. PARP is the main institution here for SMEs.

Regional programs (Mazovia)

Regional European funds with calls independent of the national programs, often for investment, digitalisation and energy efficiency.

SME investment and growth

Grants for expansion, new technology and production capacity for operating B2B companies.

Internationalisation and expansion

Support for entering foreign markets, tied to a real market expansion strategy.

Looking for repayable rather than non-repayable financing? See our business plan service.

Who do we prepare a grant business plan for?

We work with B2B companies, not consumers. Most often these are:

Operating B2B companies in Warsaw and MazoviaCompanies with revenue and a track record that want to fund growth or investment with a grant.
Foreign companies operating in PolandBusinesses running through a Polish entity that want to use EU funds available on the Polish market.
Manufacturing, energy and technology firmsThe sectors where we have the most experience with investment and innovation projects.
Companies preparing for a specific callThose who want to submit a complete, strong application rather than fix it at the last minute.

How we work together

A business plan for EU grants comes together in five steps, from choosing the program to the formal check before submission.

Program and criteria

We confirm which program and call you are applying to, and read the evaluation criteria before we start writing.

Project analysis

We analyse the project, the market and how it fits the program's goals and result indicators.

Budget and schedule

We build the work and finance schedule and the budget with cost eligibility in mind.

Writing the plan

We assemble a business plan matched to the evaluation criteria, where the narrative and the numbers are consistent.

Formal check

We verify completeness and compliance with the rules to avoid rejection at the formal evaluation stage.

What you can expect

We do not promise the grant will be awarded, no one controls that decision except the committee. We are responsible for a document that will not fail the formal check and is strong where the points are won.

In practice you get a business plan for EU grants matched to the criteria of the specific call, a consistent budget and work and finance schedule, and indicators you can actually defend. We treat every project individually: the program, the sector and the project goal change what we put the emphasis on. We combine this with our experience in business development in Poland.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a business plan for EU grants cost?

The fee depends on the program, the size of the project and the scope of the required analysis and annexes. We give a fixed price in PLN after the first call, once we know the program and the call criteria.

Do you guarantee the grant will be awarded?

No, the decision is made by the evaluation committee. We are responsible for a plan that is formally complete and strong on the merits, so it is not rejected over errors or gaps.

Which programs do you prepare the business plan for?

National and EU programs for companies, including FENG (the SMART Path) and regional programs such as those for the Mazovia region. We tailor the document to the criteria of the specific call.

How is a business plan for a grant different from one for a bank loan?

A bank assesses the ability to repay. A grant committee assesses how the project fits the program's goals, the result indicators and cost eligibility. It is a different document with a different weight of analysis.

Can foreign companies apply for EU grants in Poland?

Yes, typically through a company registered in Poland, most often a sp. z o.o. We prepare the plan to the call criteria; the formal eligibility of the applicant is confirmed against the specific program.

Dima V. Nechyporenko

Founder of the nech, B2B business advisor. Works with companies in Warsaw, across Poland and in Europe on strategy, market entry and growth financing. International experience: Poland, Ukraine, the EU, Canada and the UAE.
LinkedIn · Book a consultation

Planning a grant application?

Let's talk about your project and which program to prepare it for. The first call is free and with no obligation.

Book a consultation